Holdback for vehicles



(No Model.) v

CFW. TEETZEL.

HOLD'BAGK FOR VEHICLES. No. 393,797. Patented Dec. 4, 1-888.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES WV. TEETZEL, OF BENTON HARBOR, MICHIGAN.

HOLDBACK FOR VEHICLES.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 393,797, dated December 4, 1888.

Application filed February 14:, 1888. Serial No. 264,007- (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, CHARLES W. TEETZEL, of Benton Harbor, in the county of Berrien and State of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Safety Holdback- Strap Attachments,'of which the following is a description.

The above device is designed to form an improvement on my former invention secured by Letters Patent No. 372,184, dated October 25, 1887 and it consists of a metal case or shell to be attached to the shaft or thill, on one side of which case or shell is a flexible metallic spring, the action of which spring holds in position within a slot in the case or shell a loop attachment having a T-shaped lug, which loop attachment holds firm when pulled backward, but which detaches itself when pulled forward.

A further and fuller description of the device is as follows, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making part of this specification, in which Figure 1 is a side view of the holdback attachment with the loop attachment in position. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section through Fig. 1. Fig. 3 isa side view of the metallic case, and Fig. at is a view of the loop attachment.

Like letters refer to like parts in the several views.

In the drawings, A represents the case or shell, a side of which is removed in Fig. 2 to disclose the plan.

B is the loop attachment, on which 3 is the T-shaped lug. The head of the lug projects from the neck 25 at an angle with the inner face of the loop attachment, as shown.

C is the elastic metallic spring, which is attached to the shell or case A at the end marked a: and is left free at the end marked 2, which spring is so shaped as to hold the loop attachment firmly when placed within the case or shell by bearing against the T-shaped lug s.

D is an opening or slot within the case or shell for the reception of the T-shaped lug of the loop attachment.

The purpose of the inventionis to avoid accident, and the practical working is as follows: The shell or case A is attached to the shaft or thill of the vehicle by means of screws inserted through the extensions 6 and f of the case or shell A, and in such a position that the end 6 will be toward the vehicle. To hitch the horse in the thills the T-shaped lug s of the loop attachment B is placed through the larger portion of the opening or slot D in the case or shell A and pulled back toward the vehicle into the narrow portion of the slot D and against the end of the case or shell A, in which position it will be held by the peculiar formation of the elastic metallic spring C against two inclined shoulders, one on each side of the neck, as indicated by dotted lines in Figs. 2 and 3 of the drawings.

From the above it will be evident that so long as the strap pulls upon the attachment toward the vehicle, or is holding back, the attachment holds firmly; but should the strap pull forward, because of the horse becoming detached from the whifflctree, the holdbackstrap will become detached from the thill and the horse go free, thus avoiding an accident by the dragging of the thills upon the ground.

\Vhat I claim as my invention, and desire secured by Letters Patent, is-

A safety holdback-strap attachment for vehicles, comprising a metallic case or shell, A, provided with a means for securing it to the thill, with an opening, D, and with an internal inclined shoulder on each side of the narrow part of the opening, in combination with a loop attachment, B, provided with a T- shaped lug, .9, having its head at an angle with the inner face of the loop attachment to enter the opening D, and a spring, C, confining the lug .3 within the narrow part of the opening D against the internal inclined shoulders, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES \V. TEETZEL. 

